Page 42 of Down and Dirty

Keaton turned around in the seat. “I don’t like you much either.”

Jared’s eyes widened. “He can see me.”

“And hear you,” Keaton said. “So, how about we call a truce for now and we’ll figure things out later?”

“I don’t like you now, I won’t like you then,” Jared said, narrowing his eyes. “Faith, you need more knives.”

“Jared, forget about the knives. I’m not mad about them. Hell, I’ll buy a million of them if you can tell me who was in my house last night.”

Jimbo was watching from the rearview mirror.

Jared didn’t answer.

“Of course, he’s too scared to talk. Either that or he didn’t see anyone. He’s just a kid,” Keaton prodded.

“Yes I did,” he growled. “I see everything, including the person who was wearing a mask and gloves when the bodies were carried in a wheelbarrow through the backyard.”

A mask and gloves. Keaton and I shared a despairing look. I’d had hope for just a second. Hope we’d find some clues that would lead us back to who had done this.

“Can you tell me where Veronica is?” I asked.

“She’s protecting the girls in the basement until you can send them home. Bad things are coming Faith.”Jared finally lifted his gaze from Keaton’s to mine.“You need to leave before you end up like the others.”

“I’ll be home in just a bit.”

“You can leave him where you found him,” Jared said, nodding to the back of Keaton’s head before he vanished out of sight.

Keaton turned back around in his seat. “That kid doesn’t like me much.”

“What did I miss?” Jimbo asked.

“He’s just territorial,” I said to Keaton before explaining what had just transpired to Jimbo.

Jared was territorial. I just didn’t know why or what sparked it. He didn’t like visitors in my house. He didn’t like people in general, and I often caught him angered like he was about to kill.

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